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    I’ve always thought of Pinot Meunier as the mediator of the classic Champagne trio - the grape that sits comfortably between Chardonnay’s brightness and Pinot Noir’s depth. But the more time I spend with it, the more I can see it’s more than a supporting act. It reminds me a bit of Starwars - where Meunier is the Empire Strikes Back. Or Harry Styles: flamboyant, integral to the ensemble, yet more than capable of stepping out solo (other anthropomorphic pop star suggestions welcome). Over the years we’ve worked with Pinot Meunier in more ways than I first expected....

    After the challenges of 2024, this year has felt like a very welcome change. The growing season started with ideal conditions: plenty of sunshine and early warmth - and from there the vines seemed to settle happily into the rhythm of the year culminating in our earliest ever ripening. It was a dry season, but the vines don’t mind that - their deep root systems mean they can grow and thrive in really dry conditions. Disease, an unromantic but ever-present part of viticulture was mercifully light this year. Very little sign of our old pals, powdery and downy...

    This year’s harvest of Ortega has been a special one. The yields aren’t high but the sun’s been relentless and the fruit quality is very high. Due to the rather lovely conditions, we started picking fruit almost two weeks earlier than we usually would. As well as our classic Ortega, we’re making a Skin Contact and bringing back our Amphora-aged Skin Contact too.     Both have had no added yeast, and have fermented with just the wild strains from the fruit and in the winery. Some of the juice is destined to stay in tank, while a...

  Making traditional method fizz involves a long set of precise processes which culminate in the crucial final step: dosage. This addition of a mixture of wine and sugar after disgorging (the removal of yeast lees) plays a key role in balancing a wine's natural acidity. Dosage is basically a bit like seasoning in cooking. Our aim is to find the sweet spot where the wine's components - fruit, acidity and texture - make something which is more than the sum of its parts. Everything pops when you get the levels right, and that’s what we’re always looking for.  ...